The second half is underway!!

OK, I realize I didn't keep up with the blog postings for the first half (I'd say I was crazy busy but that would be a lie, so I just won't make excuses). The season started off with a lot of ups and downs, including a bench brawl just a few weeks into the season. The Slammers couldn't seem to get a winning streak on the go, they would win a game then lose one or two and then lose in a shoot out...as a fan it was sometimes hard to watch. But there I was at every home game cheering them on. At the Christmas break the boys were 17-10-1-5, which could have been way worse. And now in the second half they have two wins under their belt(in two games i might add), both wins came with some extra innings, including Curtis Black's first shot(so to speak) in a shoot out(Black is a goalie) and had the win.

A few other things happened before the Christmas break...the Slammers acquired the rights(I'm hoping he shows up here) to Danny Anger. Anger won the championship last season with the Yarmouth Marniers(I really hope he wants a second shot at it). From what I remember he is a big guy and I think it would be great to see him out on the ice in the green and gold. Also I think he would be a great leader(of sorts) and he has experience in the playoffs and he knows what it takes to win the championship(which really couldn't hurt the team, could it?). I'm still not sure if or when Anger will show up here...

What else happened before Christmas...During the last home game before the break at about the 7 minute mark of the first Mitch Flynn was hit and fell rather awkwardly into the boards. Kind of head first but the side of his head, looked like he hurt his neck. They stopped the game, both teams went to their locker rooms and they took Flynn away in the ambulance. As a fan it was hard to watch, I can only imagine what it was like for the players. He was released from the hospital that night and told me that he had pulled a muscle in his back(which I was relieved to hear). Even though it was a good game to watch, it was hard not to think of Flynn and I am sure they played for Flynn! The final score was 7-5 for the Slammers but the shot heavily favored the Dieppe Commandos 46-21. I haven't heard how long Flynn will be out and I am not even sure if he is back in town yet(I will know for sure Friday, if not before). [As a side bar: Flynn played for us last season(2007-08), he went home during the Christmas break and didn't return to finish the season, even though he would have a legitimate excuse this season I really hope he is coming back. Otherwise he may get a bad rap as a player that only plays half the season.]

One other news worthy story happened before the Christmas break and even though I have tracked down the story, there hasn't been anything on the team website or the league website. But thanks to the help of google I have found the story! There was another trade, the Slammers have acquired another player: Chad Liley. Liley's name appeared on the first 2 games on the second half so I went on a search, I found his former team and found the story. He was acquired from the Dryden Ice Dogs where he lead the team in scoring, the story I read said he had 24-goals and 16-assists(it didn't say how many games he had played though).

The article I read had this to say:
"Liley says he will miss Dryden, the fans and the Coaching staff, noting his year-and-a-half with the Dogs was the best time of his life. Liley says he requested the trade to better his hockey career."
AND for the record he scored in the shoot out in his second game with the Slammers(his goal was the winner). So welcome to Woodstock Liley!!

Oh! And I am rather disappointed that I had to track down the trade details myself...isn't this information that should be on the team website! (That being said I don't want to be responsible for the website and I really don't want to be constantly supplying them with stories, I'm just disappointed, that's all.)

[I'm really going to try and do more blogs this half, partly because I have a writing course this term and honestly it can't hurt me to rant and this is a great outlet.]